No teaching degree? No problem

Janice Hickey is little more than a year away from getting her official teaching certification – but that hasn’t stopped her from stepping in front of a classroom to teach seventh-graders how to use semicolons and other writing lessons.

Already into her second year teaching at West Hernando Middle School, Hickey is one of 23 educators in the district teaching without a degree in the field. They are using the Hernando County School District’s alternative route to becoming certified teachers, which allows them to work for the district while earning state certification.

Despite not having a degree in teaching, Hickey said those using the alternative routes aren’t without knowledge or experience. With a degree in English literature along with six years of substitute teaching, Hickey said the school district’s program offered her a chance to fulfill her dream of teaching without the expense of going back to college.

“It’s still a lot of work. A lot of time is spent preparing to pass the state certification while also doing professional development.” Hickey said. “The goal here with this program is to make sure you still turn out high quality teachers to give students every tool to pass.”

Laurie Pellito, school district human resource coordinator, said the district’s alternative certification program was created about five years ago to help the school district fill teaching positions.
Previously, those who wanted to teach without degrees in education had to be hired as substitute teachers. The district still has 24 employees hired as long-term subs.

Now, those who want to teach have at least three options to earn certification, including Hernando’s alternative teacher certification program.
Other methods include participating in the 21-credit course program through Pasco-Hernando Community College or taking online courses through programs such as the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence.

Through the school district’s program, Pellito said applicants first gain a temporary teaching certificate from the state before being hired by the district. They must pay $300 to $600 to participate in the program, depending on how long it takes to complete it.

Once hired, participants are then assigned a mentor from the district to help guide them as they complete 23 tasks meant to help prepare them for final tests through the state to garner their teaching certificate. Each is given up to three years to complete the program, Pellito said.

“Our program is very rigorous,” Pellito said. “It involves a lot of independent study, so if people feel like they need more structure, like a class, we usually advise them to take classes at PHCC.”
Through all the programs, applicants must have a college degree, she said. The state also requires applicants to take the FOR-PD Reading Competency exam and an overall competency exam.

While PHCC and the district’s program focus only on teaching preparation, ABCTE also offers preparation in their chosen subject matter – whether they majored in the field in college or not. By comparison, Florida Department of Education officials require not only that applicants have taken college classes in their field, but also can pass a competency test.

Kathleen Turnbull knows all too well how that can affect plans to teach. She’s currently enrolled in Hernando’s certification program while teaching eighth-grade math at Powell Middle School.
Before she could receive her temporary certification, she said state officials informed her that she needed a geometry course despite her prior degrees and experience in computer programming and system management.

However, she said the course – though time consuming – was worth the effort. She added that the program offers ways for people with varied backgrounds to share their knowledge in the classroom.
“The thing to remember is, number one, I’m older than most. I’m over 50 and so this alternative program offers people from my generation a way to enter the education field without having to go back to school,” Turnbull said. “But you really go into this with your eyes open and with different ways to do things. The maturity aspect definitely helps along with having my experience to bring to the classroom that I wouldn’t have had if I came into this at 22 years old.”

Meanwhile, both Turnbull and Hickey advise those considering a change in careers through alternative education programs to get ready to work. Hickey added that time spent between her teaching job, certification requirements and professional development classes left her with little down time, even in the summer.
Turnbull agreed and advised people to think about their reasons for teaching before applying to the program.

“You’d better love kids, and you’d better love your teaching subject,” Turnbull said. “It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but I knew this is what I wanted to do, so it was worth it to me.”
For more information about alternative teaching, contact PHCC at 727-816-3714 or [email protected], Laurie Pellito, with Hernando County Schools at 352-797-7005, Ext. 427, or [email protected], or contact ABCTE at 1-877-669-2228 or visit www.abcte.org.

Reporter Jeff Schmucker can be reached at 352-544-5271 or [email protected].